1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an article of manufacture. More specifically, this invention is directed to a hair dressing foundation for use in styling hair.
2. Description of Prior Art
The adaptation of various accessories as foundations for hair styling, for both men and women, is well-known.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,571 (to Dinnel, issued Jun. 16, 1998) discloses a hair dressing foundation for use in the styling of a French twist hairstyle. In the Dinnel discussion of the prior art, Dinnel also discloses a relatively comprehensive survey of the prior art, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. In the prior art discussed by Dinnel, a number of devices have been conceived which are suitable in a variety of different hairstyles. In general these devices fall within basically two distinct categories: devices: (a) devices in which the hair is wrapped around the device, and, alternatively, (b) devices in which the hair is integrated within the device, e.g. pulled through one or more of passages formed within the device.
The Dinnel concept is representative of this prior category of product. In Dinnel, he uses an essentially planar, essentially rectangular, component having comb-like teeth extending on each of the two opposing long dimensions thereof. In use of the Dinnel device, the hair stylists simply wraps the customer's hair around the device in preparation of a French twist. The comb-like teeth of the device retain the hair on the device within the twist and, thus, the twist does not become undone.
U.S. Pat No. 3,452,761 (to Siegel, issue May 11, 1967) is representative of the second category of hair foundation product, specifically, a foundation in which the hair is integrated within the device, (e.g. pulled through and over the foundation), to provide an elevated hairstyle with a minimum of teasing of the hair. In brief, the Siegel device comprises a dome-like scaffold having an open and resilient architecture. In use, the Siegel device is place at the crown on or near the top of the customer's head; and, the hair from below the device drawn through and over the device by the stylist. In the preferred embodiments of the Siegel device, a series or array of comb-like teeth are also provided on each of the two opposing lateral margins of his device to assist in the placement of the device on the crown of the customer's head. According to Siegel, his device is positioned in place by first compressing the dome-like scaffold along each of its lateral margins, placement of the device in the appropriate location on the customer's head, and thereafter releasing the pressure on the device so as to permit the comb-like teeth, on either side of the device, to anchor the device within the customer's hair on either side of the device.
As is evident from the foregoing discussion, hair dressing foundations, which commonly utilized in hairstyling, are both numerous and unnecessarily complicated. It does, however, appear that up to now there is no acceptable foundation available to the hairstylist for elevating a hairstyle without either teasing the customer's hair, or by drawing the customer's hair through a scaffold-like device. This latter requirement is apparently dictated by the fact that without adequate attachment of the foundation to the customer's head, the hairstylist cannot insure that the hair will remain in place on hair dressing foundation.
Accordingly, there continues to exist a need to provide a hair styling foundation which can both provide hair dressing foundation for an elevated (lift) hair style, and yet remains in place without either teasing the customer' hair or enmeshing the customer's hair within the hair dressing foundation.